The freezing of biological samples for storage and/or processing (cryoconservation) is generally known. For cryoconservation, sample holders are used which are designed for receiving a sample and securing in a cooling device. A sample holder contains at least one sample chamber, the shape and size of which are selected in particular in accordance with the properties of the sample. For example, sample chambers can be in the form of capillary tubes, substrate pans or open dishes. Typically sample holders also include an electronic data storage for receiving sample data, an interface for access to the data storage and an identification device for the sample holder.
WO 97/18896 discloses a holder for sample tubes made of an elastic material and suitable for deep freezing. The holder comprises a pedestal-like base with a sample identification unit and an open-work, tubular structure in which a sample tube can be firmly held by means of a clamp connection. DE 78 21 534 U1 stands for test tubes made of folded plastic film.
For the flexible handling of a plurality of samples, a modularly constructed sample holder, described in WO 07/085,385, has proven to be advantageous. In this sample holder the sample chamber is arranged in a sleeve section. The sleeve section has ends that complement each other so that a plurality of sleeve sections can be interlocked to form one common sample holder. The sleeve section ends are also designed for connection to a base or pedestal section that can be secured in a cooling device.
A conventional sample holder is produced, for example, from plastic material in an injection molding process, whereby the sample chamber is connected in one piece with the sleeve section or, for example, can be inserted into the sleeve section as a capillary tube. The plug-type connection of the capillary tube with the sleeve section is of restricted reliability, which can be a disadvantage in practical usage conditions. There is also the risk that capillary tubes can be interchanged if the sleeve section is unintentionally separated. Furthermore, by adapting the sleeve section to a particular type of sample chamber problems can occur if samples are to be used between different cryobanks. If a sample from a first cryobank, in which a particular type of sample chamber is used, is to be transferred into another cryobank with other types of sample chambers, problems can occur with regard to securing the sample chamber and adaptation to the relevant processing of electronic sample data. With the growing use and distribution of cryobanks and the associated increased use of different types (sizes, shapes) of sample chamber, this problem has become increasingly evident in recent times. Though not intended for cryoconservation, further modular test tube or sample holders are known from DE 37 35 708 C2.
It could therefore be helpful to provide an improved adapter device for securing a sample chamber, in particular for the cryoconservation of a biological sample, with which the disadvantages and limitations in the prior art are overcome. More especially, the adapter device is to be designed to secure a sample chamber with greater reliability. In addition, the adapter device can make the integration of sample chambers of various types into existing cooling and data-processing systems possible. It could also be helpful to provide an improved sample holding device using the adapter device. It could further be helpful to provide an improved method of cryoconservation of a biological sample which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional cryoconservation methods and allows, in particular, the flexible use of sample chambers in various cooling devices.